Lamp lock



June 19, 1923.

R. E. sToUFFER LAMP LOCK Filed April 2, 1921 rl l) Patented .lune 19,i923.

Hirn star RALPH n. srourrnia, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,'AssIs-nonroYnnLowcan COMPANY,

' or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS., a oonrona'rionor MAINE.

LAIYP LOCK,

Application tiled April 2,

T 0 all w hom t may concer/1t:

Be it known that I, RALPH E. S'roorrnn, a citizen Of the 'United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and u se ful Improvements in Lamp Locks, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a lock for electric lamps such as are adaptedto be supported within a bracket, and it is particularly suited for usewith an electric light'designed to illuminate the face of a taxicabmeter, the purpose being to prevent removal of the lamp and theconsequent obscuration of the meter readings.

An exemplitication of this invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in the manner following: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a meterin operative association with a lamp which is equipped with the presentlock; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the front side of the lamp, the viewbeing such as would be gained by looking along the line 2-2 of Fig. l;and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the bracket with the housing for thelamp shown in longitudinal section.

The lamp is shown as carried by a bracket A preferably secured to theforward side of the bulkhead B which is arranged just rearwardly of thechauifeurs seat in a taXicab, the lamp, designated as C, being adaptedto throw its light upon the face of an adjacent meter D. It should beunderstood that the particular location of the lamp, as well as themanner of its attachment, is of no special importance to this invention.

The lamp is arranged within a generally cylindrical housing 5 having alateral opening 6 in the form of a. slit which faces the meter, therebypermitting the light to shine thereon. This housing is preferablyoii'set with respect to the bracket A on which it is carried so as topermit the lamp to move in and out of the housing by vertical movementswithout interference from the bracket, the housing being open at thebottom, as shown. In general the lamp socket may follow the usualconstruction, its component parts including an insulating bushing 7around which is secured a sleeve 8 having the usual bayonet slot 9 forthe reception of a pin l0 which projects laterally from the lamp neck11. Attached to the lower end of the bushing is a cap 12 having anoutwardly extending flange 13 in which are 1921. serial No. 58,07% lformed a plurality of liolesilll, the lower end of the cap being open topermit the circuit wires 15 to ypass therethrough toA connect with acurrent source. Secured fastl to the sleeve which surrounds the bushingis a collar 15a having a lateral opening 16 into which may project theend of a set screw 17 that is adapted to thread into an opening 18 whichextends through the wall of the housing adjacent its base. The lower endof the collar is outturned in the form of a flange 28 which abutsagainst the base of the housing to limit the entry of the lamp therewithin to the correct distance.

Formed in the head 19 of the set screw is a transverse opening 2Opermitting a wire 21 to be passed therethrough as well as through one ofthe openings lli in the cap flange,`the ends of the wfire` being thenbrought together and fastened with a seal 22.

The construction just described suggests,

as a means for locking the lamp in a fixed position within the housing,the use of a set screw together with certain other parts. The wire withits sealed ends in this construction serves to prevent the screw frombeing loosened preliminary to a withdrawal of the lamp. Only by breakingthe seal of the wire may this be accomplished, and this, of course,would be readily apparent to those whose duty it is to inspect the automobile from time to time. l

It will be observed that the parts which constitute my invention are notonly simple t:

in their construction and assembly, but they are durable and effectivefor the purposes contemplated. There are other forms in which thisinvention might be embodied, and in so far as the same are defined inthe claims below, I would have such modification included within thescope of this patent.

I claim:

l. A `device o-f the kind described comprising, in combination,v ahousing open at one end and formed with a threaded opening in one side,a lamp adapted to lie within the housing, a socket adapted to receivethe lamp, a collar surrounding the socket and provided on one side withan aperture and at one end with an outturned flange arranged to abut theproximate end of the housing to limit the entry of the lamp therein, acap secured` to the socket provided gaged by the Wire, substantially asdescribed.

2. A device of the kind described comprising, in combination, a housingone end of which is open and formed with a threaded aperture in itsWall, a lamp adapted to stop for limiting thexentry of the vlamp Withinthe housing, a threaded `element ar- 7 be moved through the opening intothe housing, a socket to which the lamp is connected, means on thesocket providing a ranged Within the aperture in engagement With thesocket vand adapted to prevent its removal from the housing, and meansconnecting the threaded element with the socket havingv a sealassociated therewith for preventing disengagement of the threadedelement with the socket except when the seal is broken, substantially asdescribed.

RALPH E. STOUFFER. Witness:

DAVID N. MOLEAN.

